Ceramic or other types of coatings are widely used to protect structures and devices from thermal, chemical, or mechanical damages. For example, titanium nitride (TiN), titanium carbide (TiC), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), titanium aluminum nitride (TiAIN), vanadium carbide (VC), and titanium boron nitride (TiBN) ceramic coatings have been widely used on dies, cutting tools, and other items. These coatings have high hardness, great wear resistance, and excellent thermal stability. Fabrication techniques of such coatings typically include chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”), physical vapor deposition (“PVD”), or thermal spray techniques.